Film Analysis Mardi Gras - 906 Words

Jacqueline Mason Women’s Studies Kim Jensen November 19, 2015 Mardi Gras: Made in China: Film Analysis Film director David Redmon, created the documentary Mardi Gras: Made in China, following the trail of beads from a factory in China to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras, emotionally exposing the imbalances of globalization. Redmond skillfully illuminates the clash of cultures by comparing American excess and consumer ignorance against the harsh life of the Chinese factory worker. The film began with the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans where people gathered to party, drink alcohol, and expose themselves in exchange for brightly colored plastic bead necklaces. The stories follows four teenage women workers, providing insights†¦show more content†¦The pay would be about 10 cents per necklace or about $62 per month The factor employed about 400 people. 90% women sitting elbow to elbow. The factory owner, explained that he employed mainly women aged fourteen and nineteen, because they were easier to control than t he men. He employed men only for the jobs that required heavy lifting. These workers lived in the factory provided housing and were feed meals. They generally worked between 10-14 hours workdays everyday with the exception of the two-week Chinese New Year celebration, a time when all employees, including the factory owner, went home to be with their families.. There would not be any talk amongst themselves while they were working and the employees must wear red hat so that he could keep track of the employees whereabouts. The owner states that if they felt the need to socialize they could do it on their breaks or on their day off. Workers’ official day off was Sunday, but they were often assigned to work in order to meet production goals. Failure to meet production quotas, resulted in a ten percent pay cut. One worker even stressed that her quote was to paint 200 pieces however could only finish 100 at the most. It was repeatedly stressed that punishment was very importan t for keeping the workers focused on their tasks. Attempting to organize labor could result in punishment, too. The lack of resources and capabilities to fulfill the basic needs of life, access to food,

World Trade Organization - Essay - 5408 Words

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business. The WTOs predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), was established after World War II in the wake of other new multilateral institutions dedicated to international economic cooperation, notably the Bretton Woods Institution known as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. A comparable international institution†¦show more content†¦These internal transparency requirements are supplemented and facilitated by periodic country-specific reports (trade policy reviews) through the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). The WTO system tries also to improve predictability and stability, discouraging the use of quotas and other measures used to set limits on quantities of imports. 5. Safety valves. In specific circumstances, governments are able to restrict trade. There are three types of provisions in this direction: articles allowing for the use of trade measures to attain non-economic objectives; articles aimed at ensuring fair competition; and provisions permitting intervention in trade for economic reasons. Exceptions to the MFN principle also allow for preferential treatment of developing countries, regional free trade areas and customs unions. The WTO has come in for fierce criticism from the anti-globalization, environmental and development lobbies. They argue that WTO: †¢ Allows rich countries to exploit the Third World workers, paying them low wages and making them work in conditions which would be completely unacceptable n developed countries. †¢ Is causing an environmental catastrophe in the Third World as rich countries plunder the national resources of the planet and give very little in return to poor countries. †¢ Forces poor countries to lower their barriers to trade while rich countries keep their barriers inShow MoreRelatedThe World Trade Organization Essays908 Words   |  4 PagesThe World Trade Organization is widely known as an organization that deals with free trade on an international level. Quoting from their website, â€Å"the World Trade Organization (WTO) deals with the rules of trade between nations at a global or near-global level. But there is more to it than that.† (Source 1) . In general to enter into the WTO, a country must meet certain criteria that deal with liberalization of trade policy. (Source 2? More like a general). As a member of the WTO, countries mustRead MoreWorld Trade Organization Essay1696 Words   |  7 PagesWorld Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO), is an international organization designed to supervise and liberalize international trade. The WTO came into being on January 1, 1995, and is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was created in 1947, and continued to operate for almost five decades as a de facto international organization. The World Trade Organization deals with the rules of trade between nations at a near-global level; itRead MoreEssay on The World Trade Organization579 Words   |  3 Pages World Trade Organization (WTO) nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business. The World Trade Organization came into being in 1995. One of the youngest of the international organizations, the WTO is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established in theRead MoreThe World Trade Organization Essay1690 Words   |  7 Pagescountries. The three main institutions i will be talking about include the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation. These organisations provide loans, grants and practical assistance to governments, in addition to loaning money to assist private businesses within developing countries. They also play a significant role in the privatisation and overseeing of public utilities and natural resources. The World Bank (WB) and the Inter national Monetary Fund (IMF), often called theRead MoreThe World Trade Organization Essay1171 Words   |  5 PagesThe World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1, 1995 and is the most powerful trade body in the world. It has 133 member nations and 33 nations with observer status who have applied for membership. (Americanlands) On behalf of its members the WTO promotes, monitors and adjudicates international trade (Goldstein 378) in order to establish a free trade system. It covers every field of economic and social endeavors, including: textiles, agricultureRead More The World Trade Organization Essay2008 Words   |  9 PagesThe World Trade Organisation (WTO) is today seen as one of the pillars of international trade and financial systems of the world alongside the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, despite being only sixteen years old. With what began as the succession to the previous guidelines and rules set out by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade back in 1948, it is now seen as the ‘main unifying force of world trade today’ a key playe r in both the conduct of trade relations and global governanceRead More world trade organization Essay examples637 Words   |  3 Pagesthere has been a constant controversy over whether the World Trade Organization should enforce global free trade. The primary idea is to establish in which all are happy. Although there are many advocates for trade liberalization, as well as many who oppose. I believe free trade may be advantageous for both large and small-industrialized countries, but it does not favor the smaller developing countries needs primarily. If the World Trade Organization eliminates tariffs and quotas, it could create moreRead MoreEssay on Benefits of the world Trade Organization1015 Words   |  5 PagesBenefits of the World Trade Organization nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One of the biggest firms associated with globalization is the World Trade Organization. The World Trade Organization is the only international body that deals with the rules of trading between nations. It has evolved over the past half century into an entity that contract with the trade of services, intellectual property as well as its original intent of the trade of goods. The WTO controls most trade in the world today throughRead MoreEssay about World Trade Organization1438 Words   |  6 Pagescontroversies connected to the World Trade Organization (WTO), most American citizens don’t know what the WTO actually is or what it does. Because there’s so much the average person doesn’t understand, we need to look at the background of the WTO before we can discuss any further details; then we will look at possible explanations of why people protest, and finally we’ll focus on whether or not any protests were justified. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The World Trade Organization is designed to create theRead MoreEssay on The World Trade Organization (WTO)2647 Words   |  11 PagesThe World Trade Organization (WTO) is the most powerful lawmaking and legal body in the world. It is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The goal of the organization is to help producers of goods and services, exporters and importers handling their business. †¢ Who We Are- The WTO was born out of negotiations, and everything it does is the result of negotiations. The purpose of it is to help trade flows as freely as possible- safeguarding no

Sejanus, His Fall Monologue Essay Example For Students

Sejanus, His Fall Monologue Essay A monologue from the play by Ben Jonson NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from Sejanus, His Fall (1603). SEJANUS: What excellent fools Religion makes of men! Believes Terentius, If these were dangersas I shame to think them The gods could change the certain course of fate? Or, if they could, they would now, in a moment, For a beef\s fat, or less, be bribed t\ invert Those long decrees? Then think the gods, like flies, Are to be taken with the steam of flesh, Or blood, diffused about their altars; think Their power as cheap as I esteem it small. Of all the throng that fill th\ Olympian hall, And, without pity, lade poor Atlas\ back, I know not that one deity, but Fortune, To whom I would throw up, in begging smoke, One grain of incense; or whose ear I\d buy With thus much oil. Her I indeed adore; And keep her grateful image in my house, Sometimes belonging to a Roman king, But now called mine, as by the better style. To her I care not if, for satisfying Your scrupulous fancies, I go offer. Bid Our priest prepare us honey, milk, and poppy, His masculine odours, and night-vestments. Say Our rites are instant, which performed, you\ll see How vain, and worthy laughter, your fears be.

Paulo Freire “The Banking Concept of Education” Essay Sample free essay sample

Introduction â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education† was invented by Paulo Freire in an effort to depict the deductions of the modern-day educational system. Much unfavorable judgment has been addressed towards this work ; much truth the work has besides revealed. It is hard to reason. whether the writer was wholly right or incorrect – his premises have solid practical bases but can besides be debated. However. it is still interesting and utile to reexamine Freire’s statements as for what banking instruction is. The Banking construct of instruction The kernel of the banking construct of instruction created by Freire is in the fact that pupils do non get and utilize cognition to analyse ; the cognition alternatively is merely deposited into them by the instructor. This procedure if viewed by Freire as the agency of impeding creativeness in instruction in general. â€Å"This is the banking construct of instruction. in which the range of action allowed to the pupils extends merely every bit far as having. We will write a custom essay sample on Paulo Freire â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education† Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page filing. and hive awaying the deposits† ( Freire ) . Of class. one may reason that we ourselves are the Godheads of our instruction. and our cognition. However. enterprise in instruction is non ever applicable. particularly when the educational environment does non let any creativeness. as Freire tries to carry us. Therefore. the writer of the banking construct in instruction attempts to turn out that finally. pupils can non transform the deposited cognition. as they are non taught to use their transformational accomplishments. â€Å"In the banking construct of instruction. cognition is a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowing upon those whom they consider to cognize nothing† ( Freire ) . As a effect. Freire speaks about â€Å"banking† instructors as oppressors. mentioning to the present educational system as â€Å"oppressing† . The cognition has ever been the procedure of enquiry. but the banking attacks in instruction alteration these thoughts. and do instruction similar to the suppressing political orientations: the instructor represents himself as opposed to his pupils. and they do non hold any pick to alter this or to get away this resistance. In the banking construct of instruction. pupils have to take their instructors for granted. and as people who know everything. while the pupils know nil ( Freire ) . The major contradiction of the banking instruction Freire depicts in the list of 10 attitudes and patterns of conventional instruction. We have already mentioned the two of these attitudes. when the cognition is simply deposited into pupils. and when they are accepted by instructors as cognizing nil. Freire assumes that in his attack towards instruction. â€Å"the teacher thinks and the pupils are thought about† ( Freire ) . However. it is hard to understand here. in what manner the pupils are being thought of and how it relates to the discussed theoretical model. Does this mean that the pupils are thought about every bit simply the depositories of cognition? This premise can be right in the visible radiation of the already discussed issues. â€Å"The teacher negotiations and the pupils listen – meekly ; the instructor subjects and the pupils are disciplined† ( Freire ) . Obviously. the subjugation about which Freire speaks is besides reflected in the fact that pupils are non taken as the sensible objects that are capable of analysing and transforming this cognition. The subjugation is noticed in the state of affairs. when the pupils are non merely invariably disciplined by their instructors. but when they besides have to follow with the picks enforced by the instructor ( Freire ) . Many of us retrieve the state of affairss. when we had to work on the subject chosen by the coach without any possibility to discourse or alter it. Despite the nonsubjective nisus of the present educational system towards flexibleness. the figure of â€Å"oppression† illustrations is excessively big to do this â€Å"flexibility goal† at least closer. â€Å"The oppressors use their â€Å"humanitarianism† to continue a profitable state of affairs. Therefore they react about instinctively against any experiment in instruction which stimulates the critical modules and is non content with a partial reappraisal of reality† ( Freire ) . The kernel of these oppressors should be decently understood. and Freire makes particular accent on this apprehension: the oppressors ( instructors ) tend to alter the consciousness of the oppressed ( the pupils ) and non the state of affairs. which is called as â€Å"oppressive† . The subjugation to creativeness – this is the footing of the banking attack in instruction ; Freire describes a simple illustration in big instruction: â€Å"students will neer be proposed to critically see reality† ( Freire ) . Beyer is really enlightening in how he analyzes Freire’s construct: â€Å"Freire believes this is a signifier of subjugation in that pupils can non see the universe as they wish but alternatively are forced to see the universe in a mode that is approved by those in power† ( 98 ) . Freire creates a distinguishable resistance between the banking instruction and problem-posing instruction. He obviously supports problem-posing construct for its capacity to decide the contradiction between the instructor and the pupils. when the instructor takes the place superior to that of pupils: â€Å"the instructor is no longer simply the-one-who-teaches. but one who is himself taught in duologue with the students† ( Freire ) . Therefore. the problem-posing instruction is the look of Freire’s thoughts as for what instruction should be and what organize it should take. Education should non take the mere signifier of person being taught by person who pretends he knows more ; instruction should be created in the procedure when the teacher’s authorization is no longer valid. As a consequence. the procedures of instruction and development take topographic point in changeless interaction between the pupils and the instructor. It is possible to propose that Freire has gone beyond the traditional bounds of treatment within the subject of instruction. â€Å"He is besides reasoning that the manner of dealingss between instructor and pupil are of import determining relationships for how to be toward each other as humans† ( Beyer 103 ) . We ourselves have become the informants of the state of affairss. when instructors tended to stress their superior place towards us. We besides know how it hurts to understand that the instructor does non take us as equal. This may go a serious obstruction on the manner towards understanding between the instructor and the pupil. and as a consequence. on the manner towards effectual instruction. Permanence and alteration are besides used by Freire as the two determiners of banking and problem-posing instruction: â€Å"The banking method emphasizes permanency and becomes reactionist ; problem-posing instruction – which accepts neither a â€Å"well-behaved† present nor a preset fixture – roots itself in the dynamic present and becomes revolutionary† ( Freire ) . Therefore. permanency and alteration are the two basic determiners. one of which ( permanency ) determines banking instruction as oppressive towards alteration and creativeness. and the other one ( alteration ) is the basic characteristic of good problem-posing instruction. The dramatic difference between the problem-posing and the banking construct of instruction is in the fact that. as Freire puts it. the banking construct does non let the individual thought of his state of affairs critically. It instead imposes fatalistic perceptual experience of any life state of affairs. The problem-posing attack. on the contrary. represents any state of affairs as a job. which needs analysis and solution. It is doubtless. that the banking construct is the look of the educational subjugation against those who seek creativeness and personal development. Decision Freire’s work is interesting in footings of clear designation of the issues. which do be in modern-day instruction. Despite the fact that Freire sometimes uses instead extremist footings. his initial purpose was to stand for the current system of instruction as it was. Furthermore. even understanding that we tend to present flexibleness and problem-posing approached into instruction. there is still much to be done in order to wholly extinguish banking attacks in instruction. Plants cited Beyer. L. E. A ; Apple. M. W.The Curriculum: Problems. Politics. and Possibilities.Capital of new york: State University of New York Press. 1998. Freire. P.Teaching method of the Oppressed.Chapter 2. 1993. Webster Philosophy Department. 17 November 2007. hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Webster. edu/~corbetre/philosophy/education/freire/freire-2. hypertext markup language

Free Essays on A Separate Peace In Achieveing A Separate Peace

There were two major things that led to Gene and Finny finding their â€Å"separate peace.† Obviously, their surroundings played a huge role. They were experiencing new things with the war coming into their lives. They didn’t know how to deal with it. So they created a separate peace. The other thing was the fact that Gene and Finny use the fact of having inner enemies to help find their separate peace. Gene didn’t really find his separate peace until he returned to the Devon School many years later. The first discovery was World War II. It symbolized conflict and enmity, or hatred. Gene felt that hatred was a natural part of adulthood. Most people fight in a private war against a private enemy in the novel. Even throughout peacetime, the boys are defending themselves against their individual enemy. Finny is the only boy that doesn’t have this problem. Finny refused to have hatred, or an enemy. He denied that the war existed because he didn’t have enmity. Finny found his separate peace within his denial. Gene later told him that he could never be a soldier because he didn’t understand what having an enemy was all about. The war didn’t really enter their lives until after Finny’s fall. This means that the war will stay with them until Finny’s death. WWII affected the characters in many ways. Gene saw that football was like the battlefield and he saw tennis balls as bullets. Gene thought of the snow as an army forced upon the Devon School (85). The war caused the boys to feel unsteady. It was disturbing their earlier lives but not letting them move on to the next chapter. In addition, Gene and Finny shared the same dreams of the Olympics still going on as planned, and that there is no war. This is where Gene and Finny find a separate peace. They felt safe and secure when they knew that the Olympics would be in 1944 and that there was no war. They didn’t have to worry about dying. They didn’t have to worry about th... Free Essays on A Separate Peace In Achieveing A Separate Peace Free Essays on A Separate Peace In Achieveing A Separate Peace There were two major things that led to Gene and Finny finding their â€Å"separate peace.† Obviously, their surroundings played a huge role. They were experiencing new things with the war coming into their lives. They didn’t know how to deal with it. So they created a separate peace. The other thing was the fact that Gene and Finny use the fact of having inner enemies to help find their separate peace. Gene didn’t really find his separate peace until he returned to the Devon School many years later. The first discovery was World War II. It symbolized conflict and enmity, or hatred. Gene felt that hatred was a natural part of adulthood. Most people fight in a private war against a private enemy in the novel. Even throughout peacetime, the boys are defending themselves against their individual enemy. Finny is the only boy that doesn’t have this problem. Finny refused to have hatred, or an enemy. He denied that the war existed because he didn’t have enmity. Finny found his separate peace within his denial. Gene later told him that he could never be a soldier because he didn’t understand what having an enemy was all about. The war didn’t really enter their lives until after Finny’s fall. This means that the war will stay with them until Finny’s death. WWII affected the characters in many ways. Gene saw that football was like the battlefield and he saw tennis balls as bullets. Gene thought of the snow as an army forced upon the Devon School (85). The war caused the boys to feel unsteady. It was disturbing their earlier lives but not letting them move on to the next chapter. In addition, Gene and Finny shared the same dreams of the Olympics still going on as planned, and that there is no war. This is where Gene and Finny find a separate peace. They felt safe and secure when they knew that the Olympics would be in 1944 and that there was no war. They didn’t have to worry about dying. They didn’t have to worry about th...

The New PSAT, Redesigned in 2015 Complete Guide

The New PSAT, Redesigned in 2015 Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're a high school student planning on taking the PSAT, you'll be taking the new and redesigned PSAT. This new version of the test startedin October 2015was administeredto all students across the country. We’ll let you know all about the PSATformat, scoring, and content and what you need to know to be prepared. Not only is the 2015 PSAT an important step in prepping for the SATs, but it also qualifies you for National Merit distinctions and scholarships. Let’s dive into the changes in format, scoring, and content being made to the redesigned PSAT and what these changes mean for your test prep. Changes in Format The new, redesigned PSAT is 35 minutes longer than the old PSAT. It clocks in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, rather than 2 hours and 10 minutes. Instead of five multiple-choice answers, the PSAT now offers only four. This means you have a better chance of getting the answer right if you guess! The following chart breaks down the time and number of questions per section: Section Time Number of Questions Reading 60 minutes 48 questions Writing and Language 35 minutes 44 questions Math 70 minutes 47 questions Total 165 minutes 139 questions What Format Changes in the New PSAT Mean for Your Prep The new test is longer, so train your focus. Since the test is still pretty new, there aren't a lot of official practice tests to take. So far, College Board has come out with two official sample PSATs, which you can download and score. Make sure to take note of the changes between this test and older versions. New PSAT Practice Test 1 - Answer Explanations- Score Your Test New PSAT Practice Test 2 - Answer Explanations - Score Your Test Since having only two practice tests gives you limited options, it's also a good idea to use older practice tests. If you are practicing with full-length old practice tests, give yourself an extra section to practice test-taking for that longer chunk of time. As you practice, take note of your energy and attention. Take short breaks and anything else you need to keep focus for that amount of time. The new PSAT also closely resembles the new SAT, which was firstadministered in Marchof 2016. Except for the fact that the PSAT doesn't have an essay, the two tests have very similar content, format, and even scoring. Because of this, you can also use these eight practice tests for the new SAT to prep, while still keeping an eye out for any differences between the new PSAT and new SAT. New SAT Practice Test 1 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 2 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 3 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 4 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 5 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 6 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 7 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 8 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 9 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 10 - Answer Key The new scoring system on the PSAT is designed to help you predict your SAT score. Below I'll explain thechanges in the scoring systemfor both the new PSAT and new SAT and how you can incorporate this awareness into your studying. Changes in Scoring The redesigned PSATisscored on a scaled between 320 and 1520. You can score on a range from 160 to 760 for Math and 160 to 760 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. In addition tothese section scores, your score report will also tell you subscores forMath, Reading, and Writing and Language between 8 and 38. This will give you a sense of which sections you're best at and where you need improvement.Unlike the old PSAT, the redesigned PSAT gives no penalties for wrong answers. The SAT returned to the 1600 scoring system it usedback in the day, before 2005. It now hasa maximum composite score of 800 for Math and 800 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing combined. As I mentioned above, your PSAT score is meant to predict your SAT score. The PSAT scale doesn't go up to 1600 exactly since the SAT is a more difficult test than the PSAT. While a 1300 on the PSAT suggests you might score around a 1300 on the SAT, a perfect PSAT score doesn't necessarily guarantee perfection on the SAT. The two scoring scales coincide with one another, but the PSAT is shifted down to account for its differences in difficulty level. Keep this discrepancy in mind when interpreting your PSAT scores from your practice tests and the official test itself. Disappointed with your PSAT performance? Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: What Scoring Changes in the Redesigned PSAT Mean for Your Prep Because they eliminated the wrong answer penalty, you don’t have to devise a strategy anymore for which questions to guess on and which to leave blank. Give all of them your best guess, even if you are unsure. If you leave any blank, save enough time at the end of each section to bubble in all your answers. When you’re taking a practice test, make sure to mark which ones are random guesses so you can review them when you’re finished. To make the most out of your practice tests, you want to really analyze why you missed a question and what you need to do- review content, work at a faster pace, etc.- to ace that question type the next time. Since the National Merit Scholarship Corporation is considering your composite score, rather than your section scores, all sections are important for qualifying for National Merit Semifinalist, Finalist, and scholarships. Changes in Content The changes that weremade to the content of the PSATmatch the revisions to the SAT. Overall, the content is more evidence- and context-based, featuring real world scenarios and data analysis. Emphasized skills include depth of analysis, interpretation of a word or idea in context, and multi-step problem solving. Check out the "Skills Crosswalk" for all three sections on College Board. Gone are the days of studying long lists of obscure vocabulary- the new PSAT (and SAT) tests that you understand the meaning and connotation of a word within the context of a passage. Similarly, grammar questions ask you to revise sentences within the context of passages, not as stand-alone sentences. All of the sections will include graphs and charts to test your ability to interpret, describe, and represent data visually or in words. The following example is taken from College Board’s New PSAT Sample Questions for the math section. Math questions also include multi-step grid-in word problems. They are going to focus more on algebra and data analysis and less on geometry. The geometry problems that are still there ask you to solve problems involving area, volume, or line, angle, and triangle theorems. What This Means for Your Prep Focus on sharpening your skills of problem-solving, data interpretation, and understanding grammar and vocabulary through context. These skills are more connected to what you learn in class and real life. You can develop them through reading and writing widely and often, as well as by paying attention to data representation and analysis in your math and science classes. When you’re reading, take notes on the work’s structure and organization. Consider the passage’s theme, tone, style, etc. and make sure you can point to specific lines that support your ideas. Get a sense of the various connotations of words in different contexts, rather than memorizing lists of vocabulary. For example, â€Å"brilliant† may mean exceptionally smart when describing a person, but it suggests bright and vivid when describing a color. Many of the skills and knowledge being tested remain the same from the old PSAT- understanding of literary terms and elements, depth of analysis and interpretation, working knowledge of various mathematical concepts. The new PSAT asks you to go one step further: to back up your answer with evidence, whether it is from a passage or chart, and to understand the relationships among words and numbers. Don't stop here: check out our collection of free practice questions and full-length tests for the PSAT, plus learn more about how to use old practice tests and material to prep effectively for the new PSAT. PSAT Comparison Chart Below is a chart comparing key points for the old version of the PSAT and the new version of the exam. You can use this to quickly see some of the most important differences between the two tests. Former PSAT New PSAT Total Scoring Scale 60-240 320-1520 Section Score Scales Critical Reading: 20-80Math: 20-80Writing: 20-80 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 160-760Math: 160-760 Testing Time 2 hours and 10 minutes 2 hours and 45 minutes Number of Answer Choices 5 4 Guessing Penalty Lose  ¼ point for every incorrect answer No guessing penalty To Find Out More... To learn more about the changes from the test makers, check out College Board’s site. As this site discusses the PSAT and SAT together, you’ll see the similarities in the two redesigns. The PSAT, unlike the SAT, still does not have an essay. Students who are taking the PSAT this fall don’t have as much practice material as past classes had, but you can still prep very effectively and get a high score if you are aware of the changes. As time goes on, more and more practice material for the new PSAT will become available. What’s Next? What scores do you need to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship? Read about what scores qualify on the new PSAT scoring scale. How can you win a National Merit Scholarship? We describe the different kinds of scholarships and what you need to do to qualify. Curious about the SAT changes that were implemented in2016? Read our detailed guide to the redesigned SAT. Want to get a perfect SAT score? Read about what it takes from an SAT perfect scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Explain how psychological and sociological insights help nurses to Essay

Explain how psychological and sociological insights help nurses to understand health lifestyles on smoking tobacco - Essay Example Psychology is the study of behaviour through emotions and processes, with strong focus being put on the measurement and observance of behaviour . Psychology focuses on understanding the reasons that people (or other species) behave in particular ways. Some examples of psychological drivers are: personality, conformity to the environment around them, stress and coping mechanisms, values and influence of other members of society such as through peer pressure . In terms of health, psychology can be used in research to provide public health in a beneficial manner . This essay will focus on a few specific psychological drivers: influence of society, the sense of self worth, health locus of control theory and the role of nutrition and health. Sociology in contrast is the study of the social factors that surround individuals and how they affect every aspect of their life, such as decision making, health, illness and health care. Sociologists study how social forces promote some factors in i ndividual’s lives while repressing others, as well as the drivers behind this. Some examples of sociological drivers include: financial status, region that the individual lives in, environmental factors such as pollution and socioeconomic factors such as class . This essay will focus on several sociological drivers and how these affect individual’s decisions to smoke. ... Understanding why people make the decisions they do, and the role that different factors play in their decision making process plays a large part in the ability to understand and empathise with patients . This, in turn, makes the role of nurses in promoting health and in dealing with patients in general easier. Psychological Drivers One key psychological driver of behaviour is the influence of society. Smoking has always been very heavily driven by society, by trends and by advertising, particularly in movies. The prevalence of smoking as a form of recreation, of stress relief and for socialisation has been a large driver for smoking in many individuals, as well as peer pressure towards smoking particularly in adolescents. Throughout much of the early 20th century there was strong social pressure for men to begin smoking, with it considered to be a male orientated activity. In this time period few women smoked, as it was considered to be unseemly, and there was strong social disappro val. Towards the latter half of the 20th century smoking in women became more accepted, and the differences in smoking between genders decreased substantially, at least in developed countries. However, in developed countries there is still a strong difference in gender based mortality as a consequence of smoking, as death from smoking is generally related to many years of accumulated toxins . An important aspect of psychology is the way an individual views themselves. People hold a general representation of themselves mentally, which can encompass appearance, emotions, behaviour, self-worth as well as many more aspects. This representation of self often does not match the

Language and culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Language and culture - Essay Example This perception of low standards on the local education is detrimental based on the fact that globalization has connected the world which requires that every country equips its future work force with the skills and abilities necessary to participate in a global economy. Abroad studies has been shown to present an opportunity for students to produce negative outcomes where students use the opportunity to have fun away from their parents’ supervision and control where habits such as overindulgence in alcohol and drug abuse are taken up to alleviate loneliness and trauma of culture shock. Nonetheless, studying abroad despite the language and cultural challenges it possess, it should be considered based on the opportunities it presents to students which is essential for personal development. Studying abroad has come to be viewed as a necessary investment for parents who would like their children to gain knowledge in a different environment as this allows them to experience other cultures. In addition, studying abroad takes place after high school when the student is 18 years when parents feel is an appropriate age to begin learning how to be independent. At this age, one can be able to get a job and be able to effectively cater for his personal expenses, a process that relieves the parents of the burdens and expenses. This is because one can get a job and fend for themselves. This brings about two important; factors- experiencing other cultures and becoming independent, both of which bring about the element of personal growth. This in my opinion is the single most valuable reason for choosing to study abroad. Personal growth goes beyond these two factors to include shaping of one’s character where one has to adjust their attitudes, develop a new mentality as they challenge their own beliefs and values in the face of a different environment where beliefs and value systems are more likely to be different.

A group II metal hydroxide Essay Example for Free

A group II metal hydroxide Essay To find the identity of X(OH)2 (a group II metal hydroxide) by determining its solubility from a titration with 0.05 mol dm-3 HCL Theory:1. Titrations are the reaction between an acid solution with an alkali. In this reaction (called neutralization), the acid donates a proton (H+) to the alkali (base). When the two solutions are combined, the products made are salt and water. For example: 2HCl(aq) + X(OH)2 (aq) XCl2 (aq) + 2H2O (l) This shows the one of the products i. e. salt being XCl2 and water. So titration therefore helps to find the concentration for a solution of unknown concentration. This involves the controlled addition of a standard solution of known. Indicators are used to determine, at what stage has the solution reached the equivalence point'(inflextion point). This means at which, does the number of moles base added equals the number of moles of acid present. i.e. pH 7 Titration of a strong Acid with a Strong Base: As shown in the graph, the pH goes up slowly from the start of the tiration to near the equivalence point. i.e (the beginning of the graph). At the equivalence point moles of acid equal mole of base, and the solution contains only water and salt from the cation of the base and the anion of the acid. i.e. the vertical part of the curve in the graph. At that point, a tiny amount of alkali casuses a sudden, big change in pH. i.e. neutralised. Also shown in the graph are methyl orange and phenolpthalein. These two are both indicators that are often used for acid-base titrations. They each change colour at different pH ranges. For a strong acid to strong alkali titration, either one of those indicators can be used. However for a strong acid/weak alkali only methyl orange will be used due to pH changing rapidly across the range for methyl orange. That is from low to high pH i.e. red to yellow respectively pH (3.3 to 4.4), but not for phenolpthalein. Weak acid/strong alkali, phenolpthalein is used, the pH changes rapidly in an alkali range. From high to low pH, that is from pink to colourless pH(10-8.3) respectively but not for methyl orange. However for a weak acid/ weak alkali titrations theres no sharp pH change, so neither can work. Therefore in this investigation, the titration will be between a 0.05 mol dm-3 of HCl with X(OH)2, using phenolphthalein. Dependant Variable: Is the volume of HCl to achieve a colour change that is from pink to colourless. The Controlled variables : 1. the same source of HCl 2. same concentration of HCl 3. Same source of X(OH)2 4. Same volume of X(OH)2 5. Same equipment, method, room temperature Controlled Variables How to control How to monitor 1. Same source of HCl Using the same batch of HCl or from the same brand will control this. If the concentration was not to be same throughout, then this will cause different ratios of the components of the solution, that might cause different volume of HCl to be obtained for the neutralization to occur. 2. Same concentration of HCl This will be controlled by using the same batch of HCl and from the same source i.e. the same brand. By using the same batch ensures that the reactant concentration is the same. If another batch were to be used causes the concentration to differ. This causes the HCl obtained to be different. 3.Same source of X(OH)2 Using the same batch of X(OH)2 or from the same brand will control this. If the concentration was not to be same throughout, then this will cause different ratios of the components of the solution that might cause different volume of HCl to be obtained for the neutralization to occur. 4. Same volume of X(OH)2 This will be controlled by using the same batch of X(OH)2 and from the same source i.e. the same brand. By using the same batch ensures that the reactant concentration is the same. If another batch were to be used causes the concentration to differ. This causes the HCl obtained to be different. 5. Same equipment, method, room temperature The method would be kept the same and the same set of equipment and brand will need to be used throughout. The room temperature will be kept throughout at 180C by using a water bath. If different equipment or brands were used then there would be a lot of anomalies in the experiment causing a huge amount of inaccuracy of measurement particularly. Results: Raw data results were collected by using 25.00 cm3 of X(OH)2 with phenolphthalein and the volume of HCl was obtained by the solution going from pink to colourless. The volume of HCl found in 50.0cm3 burette à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.05 cm3 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Average 19.600 19.800 19.600 19.700 19.675 Qualitative results that occurred during the experiment: * Conical flask swirling not even between the trials * Difficult to judge colourless solution change subjective end point * Ability to measure 25cm3 * Filling of burette accurately with HCl 0 point in right spot * Residual distilled water or solutions remain in conical flask i.e. diluted/interfered with subsequent solutions of X(OH)2 Average = trials (1+2+3+4)/4 Therefore: (19.6 + 19.8 + 19.6 + 19.7)/4 = 98.5/4 = 19.675 Due to the equation being 2HCl(aq) + X(OH)2 (aq) XCl2 (aq) + 2H2O (l) Therefore the ratio is 2:1 of 2 HCl : 1 X(OH)2 So using the equations mentioned above: Moles of acid is the number of moles= concentration X volume i.e. the volume will be used from the average Therefore: =0.05mol/dm3 x 19.675 cm3 =19.6 cm3 / 1000 = 0.0196 dm3 =0.05mol/dm3x0.0196 dm3 = 0.00098 moles So Moles of alkali in 25.000 cm3 Moles of HCl / 25.000 cm3 due to the ratio being 2:1, therefore 0.00098/2= 0.00049 moles of HCl So now the ratio is 1:1 so 0.00049 moles of X(OH)2 Moles of alkali in 100 cm3 It is assumed that there are four lots of 25 cm3 = 4 x 0.00049 = 0.00196 moles The next series of results will be used to calculate solubility of each compound by their mass in 100 cm3 The total Mr has been calculated in the table below for each compound. This was done by : Mr of X + ((O + H) X 2). Each element Mr for the following elements (OH)2 Total Mr Be 9.010 (16.00 +1.01) X 2 = 34.020 43.030 Mg 24.310 (16.00 +1.01) X 2 = 34.020 58.330 Ca 40.080 (16.00 +1.01) X 2 = 34.020 74.100 Sr 87.620 (16.00 +1.01) X 2 = 34.020 121.640 Ba 137.340 (16.00 +1.01) X 2 = 34.020 171.360 To obtain the solubilitys of metal II hydroxides is moles X Mr of the compound Therefore this table shows the calculation for the solubilitys for each of the different compounds Each element Total Mr Moles of X(OH)2 Solubiltity given as g/100 cm3 Literature values of the compounds given as g/100 cm3 Be(OH)2 43.03 0.00196 0.0843 0.000 Mg(OH)2 58.33 0.00196 0.114 0.001 Ca(OH)2 74.10 0.00196 0.0145 0.170 Sr(OH)2 121.64 0.00196 0.0238 0.770 Ba(OH)2 171.36 0.00196 0.335 3.700 Uncertainties: The uncertainty in measurement: Uncertainty due to pipette of 25.000 cm3 : Volume of X(OH)2 = à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.100 cm3 Percentage uncertainty = (0.1/25) X 100 = 0.400% Uncertainty due to Burrette of 50.000 cm3: Assumed due to measured volume of 19.675 cm3 and the uncertainty due to the smallest unit of measurement being 0.1 cm3 Therefore 0.1/2= à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.050 cm3 Percentage uncertainty = (0.05 /19.675) X 100 = 0.254% Therefore total uncertainty = 0.400% + 0.254% = 0.654% Conclusion and Evaluation: X(OH)2 is most likely to be Ca(OH)2 as the calculated solubility is closest to the literature value given of Ca(OH)2. The solubility for Ca(OH)2 0.145 g/100 cm3 and the literature value is 0.170 g/100 cm3. This shows that the difference is only 0.025 cm3. However the comparison between Be(OH)2 of the calculated solubility is 0.0843 g/100 cm3 and of its literature value 0.000 g/100 cm3 . Shows that there is a greater difference. Showing that it cannot be X(OH)2 solution. This is also shown for Mg(OH)2 as the difference between the calculated solubility and the literature value is 0.113 g/100 cm3, showing that it still has a greater difference than Calcium hydroxide does. The difference between Sr(OH)2 and its literature value is 0.532g/100 cm3. However the difference between the calculated solubility of Barium hydroxide and the literature value is 3.365 g/100 cm3 showing there is a great difference so it cannot be Barium hydroxide. The percentage error of Ca(OH)2 = [(0.170 0.145)/0.170] X 100 = (0.025/0.170) X 100 = 14.705% Throughout the experiment there were systematic errors and random errors that were met. Uncertainties/limitations Error Type of error Quantity of error Explanation for error Improvements Measurement in burette Systematic error +/- 0.05cm3 Equipment limitation, this is because the line where each of the reading might not be precise. Different manufacturer should be used with multiple trials in order to increase the accuracy of the calculated value to the literature value. Measurement in pipette Systematic error +/-0.1cm3 Equipment limitation, this is because due to the pipette only holding 25 cm3 of volume. The line could have been where the actual reading might not be Causing the result to not be precise. Different manufacturer should be used with multiple trials in order to increase the accuracy of the calculated value to the literature value. Point of colour change Random error Not quantifiable Human observation subjective measurement. This is because even though a white tile is used, it is unclear as to what point has the solution gone colourless. Use alternative indicator for several different trials, use pH meter to assess neutralization point. Therefore there will be a more precise point as to when the solution becomes green. Temperature fluctuations Random error Not quantifiable There can be a change of measurements of equipment due to variation in expansion and contraction of materials. Due to the temperatures not being constant from the fan, windows or from the air conditioner. Controlled lab environment of the temperature by using a water bath at 180C with no air conditioner, fans working. To ensure no fluctuations occur. Fluctuations in humidity of room Random error Not quantifiable Change solution concentrations due to differences in evaporation rate in the surrounding air. Controlled lab environment Calibration error in burette Systematic error Not quantifiable 0 line incorrectly marked Divisions on burette inaccurate Use different manufacturers equipment for other trials Calibration error in pipette Systematic error Not quantifiable 25cm3 line incorrectly marked. Because it is unclear as to where the true meniscus lies. Causing the values measured out to be not precise. Also due to there being only one line causes a further decrease in the precision of the results. Use different manufacturers equipment for other trials to ensure that the accuracy increases. Another improvement that will be done, if the experiment were to be repeated is that due to the inaccuracy of the conical flask being swirled. If the conical flask is being swirled unevenly there is a chance of inaccurate results of when the colourless solution occurs. Therefore a stirring rod should be used to increase the accuracy of the swirls of the reaction in the conical flask. Another limitation that arouse in this experiment that would be improved if the experiment were to be done again is that after the neutralization reaction had occurred, there would still be some residue of the distilled water used to rinse out the equipment. This can be improved by increase the number of repeats of rinse. This would ensure that more of the diluted solution would have been removed. Also the trials can also increase, to 10 repeats so that there is more variance so that the accuracy increases. Another improvement might be, to use different indicator, for example methyl orange. Due to the colour change would be from red to yellow would make it easier for the pH 7 to be more easily recognized against a white tile then it was with phenolphthalein. Cited Sources: 1. http://www.vigoschools.org/~mmc3/c1%20lecture/Chemistry%201-2/Lecture%20Notes/Unit%205%20-%20Acids%20and%20Titration/L3%20-%20Acid-Base%20Reactions%20and%20Titration.pdf

ARE WE JUST WHO WE ARE :: essays research papers

To consider that we as humans are born with genetic directions determining who we become in my opinion are only part of the explanation. According to the article by Tom Wolf, Edward O Wilson believed that we as humans are born with genetic instruction that requires development in order to reach a predetermined mental destiny. If this were true, this would give, if anything, an excuse to those in society, who are thought to be inferior to other races as is. This idea would basically support the notion of difference beyond cultural effects. It obviously would also put other groups such as homosexuals in a position to say that they are born a certain way and simply developed their homosexual views through society. This is what had so many different groups opposing the study according to the article. For anyone to be able to prove that there are genetic differences that make one group more or less inferior to another would be an opportunity for the human and economic majority to separate the human race even more. These supposed innate differences would be the blue print for a caste system. Just looking at America history of slavery and ethnic dominance, anyone could understand that the development of a caste system on any level would lead to a civil war on some levels. I wonder exactly what those who sponsor these studies plan to do with the information other than inform. Possibly it was a large corporation who first funded this study because they see opportunity for human control through human assignment. With this kind of situation, it would be as Huxley explained in Brave New World, mental control through predetermined beliefs and life assignments. If any race or group felt they were created for any one specific reason that seemed more or less important than another group would automatically lead to the implication of human being inferior to others. I am not sure even if it is possible how great this information would be for those who are minorities in the world. Also, what about those who are put in positioned to change their situation financially and socially? Obviously, not everyone who is born poor and so-called with little class remains in this state.

Fahrenheit 451 and Salamander Reading Comprehension

Fahrenheit 451 The Hearth and the Salamander Reading Comprehension Questions 1) The country is not at peace. The country defends itself no matter what. Jets fly across the sky, meaning there is a war. 2) Captain Beatty seems to be directing Montag’s remarks at the fire station. Montag’s comments make the other firemen suspicious because he talks about how all firemen resembles a mirror image of him, and asks why don’t they prevent fires instead of burning the books. 3) The alarm at the old woman’s house is so â€Å"inconvenient† because usually before the firemen arrived at the house and the occupants had already been arrested and taken away.However, in this call, she was still at home. 4) Beatty says that none of the books agree with each other, many are lies about people who never actually lived, and it’s against the law for people to have books. 5) Montag is sick to his stomach because Mildred tells him that Clarrise’s family had mo ved away and she had got it by a car. Mildred had forgotten to tell Montag four days ago, but she couldn’t tell him if she was sure or not. 6) The ever-increasing speed of society affected books according to Beatty by people watching things on the television, short version of books, and the advancement of technology. ) The advancement in technology over books was the most important thing in society. Such as classics cut to fifteen or twenty minute shows, politics being two sentence headliner, and books being cut right to the information. 8) The objections of minority groups affected books by minority groups being offensive by certain types of literature, leading to censorship. 9) Comics, confessions, and trade journals are left for people to read. 10) Beatty made a unspoken â€Å"deal† that if Montag had handed over the books, the whole incident would be looked over.

Macbeth Observation, Interpretation, and Critique Essay

In William Shakespeare’s story Macbeth, the hero, faces a conflict that impacts how the play will go and delivers a message within the story. The conflict starts with the prophecies of the Weird Sisters and later on gets worse from the trickery of Lady Macbeth. The result concludes a series of repeating thoughts running through Macbeth’s mind, whether to kill or not to kill Duncan. During the time in which Macbeth’s conscience is still intact, the scene of the angel versus the devil haunts Macbeth. On one of Macbeth’s shoulders is the white angel, his conscience, and on the opposite shoulder sits the red devil, that represents the Weird Sisters and Lady Macbeth’s tricks. Macbeth’s conscience tells him all the reasons why he should let Duncan live. Duncan is a king that has ruled Scotland well by far. Therefore Duncan’s death would not be favored by any one, it will be as an act of betrayal and disloyalty, not relief. With Macbeth committing murder, he risks his honor; Macbeth has been proven to be a loyal and honorable noble. If the murder leads Macbeth back to the investigators, Macbeth’s life will be ruined. Macbeth’s wife helps him to reconsider the effects of killing Duncan. While being king, Macbeth will be more powerful than a noble. Lady Macbeth does this so out of love for her husband, and for her own benefit, she refuses to suffer her husband’s uncertainty and attacks Macbeth’s manhood in order to convince him to take this opportunity to achieve his ambitions by killing Duncan. With Lady Macbeth’s threat and his conscience destroyed, Macbeth sets out to do the work evil.

Postmodernism essays

Modernism/Postmodernism essays Modernism and Postmodernism, two very complicated words to define. Both of these terms include such a very wide variety of disciplines and areas of study that it is almost impossible to make any conclusions involving all aspects. To write complete definitions of these terms would not only be very difficult, but would be under constant disapproval from others. There are no solid answers and there doubtfully ever will be. However, in the attempt to broadly understanding these terms, there are things that can be said and elements that can be looked at. Of the two terms, Modernism is more easily comprehended. The Easy-to Read Edition of the Websters Dictionary describes modern as Pertaining to the present time; of recent origin. This simple explanation can bring forth one the most dominant ideas in Modernism: rejection of the past. Modernists strived for progression and advancement. How would the world ever be able to move forward if there was such a strong connection to the past? The answer was, it couldnt. As a result, all ideas and techniques that were developed before then were abandoned. A constant quest for uniqueness and originality emerged and the world of Modernism took off. Through this continuous search for unconventionality many new movements with new concepts and theories were presented. Each movement was played out until the progression of another began. The concepts were looked at and elaborated on, forming new concepts and new opportunities for elaboration. Artists at this point were pushing previously set boundaries and experimenting with things were never even heard of. There was a complete transformation in the way of portraying, presenting and interpreting. Take the commonly used example of Marcel Duchamp, Why did he decide to take a urinal, call it art, then try to exhibit it? What did it mean? People were beginning to have to search for meanin ...

The 85 Cutest Puppies to Brighten Your Day (Pics + Videos)

The 85 Cutest Puppies to Brighten Your Day (Pics + Videos) SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for the cutest puppies to cheer you up? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve got pictures and videos of puppies doing all sorts of adorable things. Find cute puppies indoors, cute puppies outdoors, puppies with other puppies, puppies with other baby animals, puppies with babies, funny puppies, and sleeping puppies. Try to make it through this collection of puppy pictures without saying awwwww. I dare you! What Kind of Cuteness Are You Looking For? Cute Puppies Indoors Cute Puppies Outdoors Cute Puppies With Other Puppies Cute Puppies With Other Animals Adorable Puppies With Babies Funny Dogs Sleeping Puppies Cute Puppies Indoors #1: This adorable yawner. Flickr/Ted Fu #2: This pup getting a bath. #3: This teeny destructor. #4: This pup who likes shoes. #5: This escape artist. #6: This little Frenchie. #7: This cutie who is trying to eat his way to safety. #8: This pup who wants to stay in bed all day. #9: This pup in a cup. Cute Puppies Outdoors #10: Another pup in a cup! #11: This precious Dalmatian pup. #12: This unusually cuddly White Walker (look at those eyes). #13: This Corgi jumping into the water. #14: This little Bulldog pup struggling to climb a step. #15: This Golden Retriever who doesn’t yet know what to do with a dog bowl. #16: This curious Dachshund pup. #17: This pup who is ready to roll. #18: This pup enjoying the pool. #19: This teeny pup who is happy just lying in the grass. #20: This little one that doesn’t let snow get in her way. Cute Puppies With Other Puppies #21: These pups who are rather fond of one another. #22: These three siblings who fit in a shoebox. #23: These Bernese Mountain puppies who like to fight. #24: These Labrador pups who are full of energy. #25: Golden Retriever kisses. #26: These little adventurers. #27: These huggers. #28: These teeny Chihuahuas. #29: These pups who are getting a lift from momma. #30: These pups who think they're human. #31: These Golden Retriever pups playing with ice cubes. #32: These pups that are secretly mini-polar bears. Cute Puppies With Other Animals #33: This Corgi with a bird on its head. #34: These puppies meeting kittens. #35: This pup with its chimpanzee pal. #36: This Corgi who is slightly terrified. #37: This Chihuahua pup who think she’s a goat. #38: This pup with ducks. #39: This Shiba who doesn't like his new cat friend. #40: This pup and baby cheetah who cuddle. #41: This pup who is a little afraid of cats. #42: This puppy and kitty snuggle sesh. #43: This cat who is outnumbered: #44: This pup meeting a pony. #45: This puppy kissing a bunny. #46: This Labrador pup who doesn’t seem very interested in the snow Bengal kitten. #47: This pup and bunny who are ignoring each other. Adorable Puppies With Babies #48: This pup who is excited to meet her new sis. #49: This Golden pup who is quite smitten with his new pal. #50: This pup who is helping his friend get cleaned. #51: This baby loves his cuddle buddies. #52: These pugs and their pal. #53: This Shorkie pup and baby who like to play fight. #54: This pup who wants to kiss his baby friend. #55: This baby laughing at his Boxer puppy. #56: This not so great guard dog. #57: These kissing buddies. #58: This Labradoodle who takes a kick to the face. Funny Dogs #59: This not-so-coordinated pug. #60: This motorcycle pup. #61: This Pitbull pup who likes cheese whiz. #62: This Corgi cautiously exploring new household items. #63: This Bernese Mountain dog puppy who really hates lemons. #64: This little shopper. #65: These pups who get caught in toast. #66: This Golden Retriever pup who gets caught. #67: This Corgi in a raincoat. #68: This Golden pup who fights a mirror. #69: This pup who thinks he's a baby. #70: This pup who hates vacuums. #71: This pup who gets a ride. #72: This Golden Retriever who is stuck. #73: This pup riding a bike. #74: This Bulldog riding a roomba. Sleeping Puppies #75: Nap time! #76: This one who just can’t open his eyes. #77: This pup who plays dead really well. #78: Not quite 101 Dalmatians. #79: This pup who needed an afternoon nap. #80: This cuddling family. #81: This festive sleeper. #82: These sleeping Shiba Inu pups. #83: This one who can fall asleep anywhere. #84: This sleepy bunch. #85: This teeny fellow who is smaller than a hand.

The Influence of Islam on GCC Businesses and their Ethical Behavior Essay

The Influence of Islam on GCC Businesses and their Ethical Behavior - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that all Islamic countries within the GCC are expected to be ethical in ways alike to their conformist counterparts.   As mentioned in their associations, these ethics include additional working operations with skills and integrity, diligence, care, avoiding the conflict of interest just to mention but a few. As ethics and values link to the ideas of what is wrong and right in the organizational context, for Islamic countries it will also be impacted by the Islamic principles of morality and legality. As such, Islamic states of the GCC will have extra ethical dimensions coming from their adherence to the morals and laws of Shari’ah. Though major Islamic businesses have discussed problems linked to the application of laws and rules to ethical practice, the association between ethics and morality has at some limit been neglected. In GCC business transactions, when the legal and ethical values are presumed to exist, some might argue, as particular Shari’ah scholars do, that as long as the needs and stipulations of the agreement are satisfied, the business deal will be both ethical and legal. Nevertheless, this argument might not have credence as the result of business transactions can cause adverse effects on the moral and social welfare of the citizens. A particular way of relating ethics to morals is in examining the impacts of actions of companies on the society. As mentioned by Carroll and Schwartz: â€Å"a business will be ethical only if it encourages good in the society.† That same logic is used to determine the ethical activities and transactions of the GCC. Precisely, activities of the GCC business will be ethical when it enables welfare (maslahah) and morality of persons within the society. On the contrary, a particular business that poses adverse effects on either Islamic morals or welfare of the people would be seen as unethical.

Influencing Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Influencing Performance - Essay Example When strategic goals are clearly communicated to the employees, they feel confident and motivated about it. Secondly, â€Å"equal pay for equal work† is an important compensation theory which works towards employee motivation (McIntosh 1998). Inequalities tend to generate between employees when they feel that some other person is getting more for the same work or he/she is not getting adequate compensation for his/her services. It is very important for the organization to observe equity theory of motivation (McShane and Von Glinow 2010) while designing the compensation packages. Also, training and development programmes for employees at different levels work wonders in enhancing performance as they give the employees a chance to increase their skills set. They become more competent to handle more responsibilities with greater enthusiasm and ability which automatically builds upon their positivity towards work. Understanding employee professional and personal needs is the key to their motivation and best performance. Sufficient promotion opportunities, clear goals, mutual working environment and celebrating each and every achievement of employees lies at the heart of bettering the employee performance. Workplace security, safety measures and constructive criticism also form an integral part of this. Describe one method effective leaders can use to improve individual and/or group performance in your organization. Include the role of theory in your discussion. Support your method with a minimum of 1 reference from the literature. Leaders are considered to be effective when they are able to direct the actions of their followers through motivation, planning and judicious implementation of plans. Leaders are considered as role models by the followers because of their charisma or the inherent qualities and values they possess. Leaders are said to be effective when they are able to transfer these to their followers (Leadership Expert webpage 2010). One popular

Corporate Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Finance - Essay Example This will further estimate the market value of a share for each of the capital structures using the no growth share valuation model being considered and to comment on findings; to consider which capital structure is preferred under the approach; and to contrast and explain the assumptions and theoretical approaches to capital structure taken earlier. 1. (i) Explain the columns in the above tale given the scenario stated above. From the data, establish the amount of debt, the number of shares, the amount of tax and the EPS for each gearing level show workings The first column on capital structure displays the different debt to equity ratios and each capital structure has a corresponding level of debt interest rate in the second column which increases as the debt structure becomes more highly leveraged. That the direct relationship is obvious between the debt to equity ratio and the interest rate since higher debt would mean higher risk for the debtor as few creditors would be willing to lend at rate lower than contracted earlier by the debtor. This would also mean that higher level of debt in relation to capital would require the company to pay higher interest expenses to creditors in absolute amount and would also mean higher tax shield for the borrower since interest expense is tax deductible for income tax purposes. The same direct relationship is also expected on EPS which increases directly as the debt to equity ratio is increased. Further the same inference could be made with the required return on shares. This means that the investors or stockholders would require higher return for higher level of risk because of increase in debt to equity ratio or higher financial leverage. This higher required return on investment would be the same as the cost of capital that would be used in evaluating the acceptability of projects. Those falling under the

Meaning of Life and Thanksgiving Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Thanksgiving Essay As the first pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock and had a feast with the Indians, they shared a moment of thanks together. They gave thanks for all their blessings, thus, creating our lovely day of Thanksgiving. When Thanksgiving is thought of, the first thing that comes to mind is turkey and a plentiful amount of food. Thanksgiving to me, is the time to be together with the ones you care about. Coming together for a day to just be with each other and to catch up is what Thanksgiving means to me. Family should be with each other to share memories and to realize the plentiful amount of blessings they have been given. Thanksgiving is not only a day for gorging on food or falling into a food coma, but talking with each other and just being glad to be with one another. Having family during Thanksgiving is a crucial part in my life. Having all of my relatives in one place for one day to talk and have fun with them makes Thanksgiving extra special for me. It is one of the few days of the year that I get to see everybody. The turkey, yams, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes is just the icing on the cake. Everybody in my family loves the food. We eat and eat until we cant eat anymore. My family has a tradition of playing soccer afterwards but that goes only so far due to our full stomachs. My cousins and I play a friendly game of poker, afterwards our failed attempts for soccer, for first dibs on dessert. After a good game of poker, my cousins and I look for ways to entertain ourselves meanwhile the adults talk about their lives and brag about their kids. Society today makes Thanksgiving look like a day just to eat. As society advances the meaning of Thanksgiving deteriorates into a secular holiday. The meaning of Thanksgiving seems obsolete. I truly believe that Thanksgiving should be refreshed in its meaning and should be celebrated with family and love. As people come together to share a special day in our history, this should be a day which people will not take for granted.

Sequential and Simultaneous Linear Menus Essay example -- Finance, Cr

The user’s cognitive construction of a chore exemplify a set of probability as to what will be the result as well as what will lead to the result. With this in mind, we can see that menus structure or arrangement tend to focus on the user’s cognitive construction. Take for instance, when a person go the grocery store and when checking out and making payment for the item buy, the person will either pay in cash or use credit or debit card. Once the person decides to pay with the credit or debit card, after swiping the card in most cases the machine will ask if the person will be paying with debit or credit. In addition, if the person decides to pay as debit, the machine will ask if the person want cash back or not. The same can be said of an ATM. When using an ATM, the machine often asks if the person want to make a deposit, withdraw, or check account and many more. With this, we can say that menus are structures in such a way that the flow gives individual or user a tas k to accomplish their goal or goal. We can see why it indispensable that user is able to recognize the types of menus arrangement and the logic in which the menus flow. 2.0 Menus Selection Many researchers have anticipated theories about the different approaches that people across the globe use when they want to locate a recognized entry in an unordered list of options. Norman and Vandierendonck recommended that people could only process one menu at a time. This idea or recommendation that people can only process one item at a time could be related to sequential linear menu. However, they did not authenticate the low-level hypothesis empirically. Card S. K. the writer of â€Å"Visual search of computer command menus† proposed that people randomly choose which item t... ...see that for the most part, simultaneous menus layout overshadow sequential linear menus designs. However, the choices we may in choosing which type of design should be base not what would like to see and have your end users make on their daily or weekly basis. It should be base on the type of task and what you would like the result to be. For example, if you expect the user to be able to make multiple selections from either two or more menus, it would be wise to use simultaneous menus designs to enhance better performance. Furthermore, if on the other hand you want your target audience to just use or make one choice at a time, sequential linear menus would be a good deal. Let say for some reasons you want your menus design to be use for investigative undertakings, simultaneous would be a good choice in that situation because it provide continuous flow of summary.

Female Power in Hamlet

Female Power in Hamlet I. Introduction William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is characterized by its tragic conclusion and its memorable cast. As a reflection of the time period in which Hamlet was written, the predominately male cast views the female characters as inferior. What the men do not realize is that the women have more control than what is initially predicted. Throughout the play, Gertrude uses her influence over Claudius to gain political ground while Ophelia uses her sexuality to have control over her relationship with Hamlet. This sense of female power also has a lasting effect on the theme of sexuality and corruption in the play.II. Gertrude A. Governmental Influence During the course of the play, Gertrude uses her status as a woman to establish herself as a capable and superior ruler. At the beginning of the play Hamlet chastises his mother for not only for her willingness to remarry after the untimely death of his father but for her marriage to Claudius, the brother of the recently deceased. Hamlet views this as incestuous; as did many others during the time the play was written (Pressley). We should keep in mind that she is the Queen of Denmark and has to make decisions that would best benefit her nation.Gertrude’s motivations were more political than unholy. Her marriage to Claudius gave the throne a more stable base of power which would make the people of Denmark feel more secure especially when facing a possible invasion by Fortinbras (Lenz). This union would also prove to the people that she was emotionally secure enough to be rule the state. King Hamlet also felt that Gertrude was strong enough to run the country because he made her the recipient of the throne after his death and not his eldest son which was traditional (Pressley).Gertrude uses her influence as a powerful woman to help make her country and her life more secure. III. Ophelia A. Sexual Power Many critics find Ophelia to be a pawn to the men in her life, but throughout the play she proves â€Å"herself to be neither silent nor merely obedient† (Fisher 130). This statement is only disproved in regards to her father. She does obey him when he tells her to stay away from Hamlet and when he asks her to be involved in a plan to determine Hamlet’s state of mind. She does not have the same submissive tendencies towards her brother and Hamlet.When Laertes tries to warn Ophelia about the dangers of pre-marital sex, she just rebukes him as a hypocrite and establishes the existence of a double standard surrounding the issue. While there is little doubt that Hamlet and Ophelia loved each other, sex was not involved in their affection. If they were to have a child out of wedlock then both of their reputations along with the reputations of their families would be ruined and the heir to the throne would be in question. She had a certain loyalty to her family and the status they held and Hamlet had certain expectations as the prince of Denmark.This restrain on their endeavors does not limit the power of Ophelia over Hamlet. She still uses the fact that they could be together one day to her advantage. They were playful with each other and at timely highly suggestive but this only shows the passions built up from their inability to act on their feelings (Neeley). Hamlet respects this silent sexual power when he tells her â€Å"get thee to a nunnery† in the hope of keeping her safely away from his madness (Shakespeare, 3. 1. 131). This conversation, though one sided, proves that Hamlet really did love and respect Ophelia enough to protect her from himself.IV. The Effect of Female Power on the Themes of Sexuality and Corruption in the Play Throughout the play, any sign of female power is portrayed as sinful or somehow connected with the fall of Denmark. Hamlet blames his mother more for his suicidal thoughts than his father’s death. This is shown through his preoccupation with his mothers â€Å"incestuous sheetsâ₠¬  and his lack of action to avenge his father’s murder (Shakespeare, 1. 2. 162). Hamlet views female sexuality as the single cause of corruption in Denmark leaving it no more than an â€Å"unweeded garden† (Shakespeare, 1. . 139). More specifically this moral corruption can be seen in Gertrude. When her political power is threatened by her son’s lover, she has her killed and stages it as madness induced suicide. Gertrude is the only person who describes Ophelia’s death and she repeats the word â€Å"drown’d† multiple times almost as if she is convincing herself that it is true. She also calls Ophelia a â€Å"mermaid†, originally another name for a siren, which was known for unintentionally drowning young men (Shakespeare, 4. 7. 201).Gertrude meets her death from the poisoned wine, drowning in a sense on the poison, meant for her own son. Sometimes you have to think outside the pages, but the effects of female power on the theme of s ex and corruption cannot be ignored. V. Conclusion While the women in Hamlet have few lines, they have a tremendous amount of influence over the men in the play Hamlet. Gertrude uses her influence to establish herself as an adept matriarch. Ophelia uses her power to keep her relationship with Hamlet despite their trials.

“Death of a Salesman” by Miller and “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen Essay

â€Å"Death of a Salesman† and â€Å"A Doll’s House† are two plays that were written in different centuries. In these plays, among other things, is presented the place that women hold in the family, as well as in the society. Although in many aspects, the two protagonists of the plays, Linda and Nora respectively, appear to have things in common, at the same time they are very different, since Nora seems to be more modern and liberal than Linda, which is ironic given the fact that Ibsen wrote his play seventy years earlier than Miller. The representation of the two women in these two plays is what will be discussed in this paper. In â€Å"Death of a Salesman†, Linda embodies the role of the traditional American woman, which was to take care of her husband, her children and the house, regardless of her personal aspirations, and dreams. The woman is expected to stay at home and engage in everyday house works, like cooking, cleaning and sewing, while the man, as the head of the family, is expected to find a well-respected job position because it was the man’s duty to provide for the entire family. So Linda has given up on everything she hoped for in her life, she sacrificed herself, just to be with her husband and her two sons, even though her husband doesn’t seem to be treating her very well. Willy disregards every word Linda attempts to interject in family conversations by interrupting her and accusing her of interrupting him. He shouts at her, he doesn’t let her speak and when she does, he speaks to her badly. A distinct example is the passage towards the end of Act I, in which Linda attempts in vain to speak her mind: Linda: â€Å"Maybe things are beginning to-† Willy: â€Å"Stop interrupting!† (1907), and later on when Linda tries again to say something Willie tells her abruptly â€Å"Will you let me talk?† (1907), while he is the one doing most of the talking all this time. Despite her husband’s constant degradation, Linda appears to be a woman who is very loyal, loving, caring and understanding to her husband. Not even once did she complain about Willy’s belittling behavior. Linda seems to be for Willy the perfect wife: she always speaks very nicely to him, she makes sure that his clothes are always mended, and that he has got everything he needs with him before he leaves for a trip. She loves him very much and she doesn’t seem to hold against him the terrible way that he treats her. A distinct example is the fact that right after the incident of insulting her, she proposes to sing to him a lullaby, so that he could relax : Linda: â€Å"Just rest. Should I sing to you?† Willy: â€Å"Yeah. Sing to me† (1909). At the same time, Linda stands up for him, takes his side, even if it means to get into a fight with her sons, for not treating him with the respect he deserves as their father: Linda: â€Å"He’s the dearest man in the world to me, and I won’t have anyone making him feel unwanted and low and blue †¦Either he’s your father and you pay him that respect, or else you’re not to come here† (1902). Also, and she tries to protect him by asking for their sons’ help, when she realized that he had been trying to commit suicide, since she didn’t want to do anything that would let Willy know that she has understood that he wanted to die. She was very concerned not to hurt her husband’s pride, realizing that if she confronted him, Willy would be devastated: â€Å"How can I mention it to him? Every day I go down and take away that little rubber pipe. But, when he comes home, I put it back where it was. How can I insult him that way?† (1904). Linda is also a very dedicated mother to her children, that she managed to raise in the best way possible, when she was all alone with them, while her husband was away for a long period of time. She has always been with them; she has educated them since the day they were born and she has tried to install in them good values. Even now, that her sons are adults, she still reprimands them about being selfish, impolite, rude and disrespectful towards their father. And her sons seem to love her and think very highly of her; for them she’s the perfect role model for a future wife: Happy: â€Å"Somebody with character, with resistance! Like Mom, y’know?† (1885) This is ironic, since her own husband doesn’t seem to appreciate her, and treats her  badly. On the other hand, Nora, the protagonist of â€Å"A Doll’s House†, represents the society’s notion for the women in the late 1800s, which is not very different from that of the mid 1900s, in the sense that the wife has to stay at home, taking care of her husband and children, and doing all the household chores. Under no circumstance is a woman expected to work and contribute to the family income for the man, for once more, the man is the one that works and brings in the money. Thus, poor Nora is financially dependent, in a great extent, on Trovald, and every time she wants to buy something she has to ask him to give her some money: Nora: â€Å"Your could always give me money, Torvald. Only what you think you could spare. And then I could buy myself something with it later on.† (1768). Nora, like all the women of her era, is controlled by her husband, who is the one that wants to make all the decisions for her, even what she would or wouldn’t eat, like when he forbidden her to eat the macaroons that she liked so much. Nora, just like Linda, is very concerned with her husband’s health, but instead of just watching she decides to do what she can to save his life, even if this means acting behind his back and hurting his pride, in order to get the necessary amount of money to save his life. Nora: â€Å"Torvald is a man with †¦ pride – it would be terribly embarrassing and humiliating for him if he thought he owed anything to me† (1775) because for a man that was considered to be strong enough, it would be regarded as an insult to admit that he needs the help of a helpless woman. What Nora did shows that although she appears to be a typical woman of her era, in reality she’s very different, she is a rebel that risks everything so that she won’t lose the man that she loves. In the end, when everything is revealed, she’s very hurt, for she realized that the man that she risked everything for never loved her, and that all she was to him was a beautiful toy-d oll to play with, and not a person with real feelings. The way that the men in her life have treated her is expressed in one word through the metaphor that Ibsen uses: a doll. That has been very confusing to Nora and her role as a mother of three children, since it has made her  also think her children as dolls. The only thing that Nora does with her children is to play games. She has completely trusted their upbringing to the nursemaid without worrying about them or trying to teach them values and how to behave, like Linda did. In the end, she realizes that she would have never become a good mother to her children, and in fear of hurting them or turning them into dolls she decides to leave them forever: â€Å"And never see the children again either. Never, never.† (1813). In the end, Nora realizes that she had been living a lie, and she is faced with the dilemma of engaging the responsibilities to her husband and children or the responsibilities to herself. But the need to break free from the simple, decorative roles that she has been assigned, and to find herself, is greater than anything else. She can’t be of any use to anyone without discovering her self first, and see what she can do on her own: â€Å"If I’m ever to reach any understanding of myself and the things around me, I must learn to stand alone† (1818). She’s young and beautiful, contrary to Linda who stayed until the end with her husband and children, and she has the whole life ahead of her to love and to be loved, make a new family, since she finally made the decision to leave Trovald and never come back, unless â€Å"a miracle of miracles† (1821) would happen. Both plays discuss the position of the women in the family and in the society. Two different women, from two different times were victims of their era. The one is old, unattractive but caring and supportive; she is Linda, the woman of the 1940s. The other is young, and beautiful but also more modern and demanding; she is Nora, the woman of the 1870s. Both of them weren’t happy with their lives, but only one of them, Nora, finds the strength to leave and change her life. And that is why the Linda was the victim of the capitalistic society, while Nora’s more of a feminist.

China Department Stores Essays

China Department Stores Essays China Department Stores Essay China Department Stores Essay China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 Department stores in China, 2009 IN THIS ISSUE : I. Overview II. Operation modes of department stores in China III. Developments of market players IV. Challenges V. Recent developments VI. Conclusion 10 11 19 6 2 4 Overview Department stores in China have enjoyed many years of boom, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 30% between 2003 and 2008. Sales momentum for department stores has deteriorated towards the end of 2008 as consumer cut back on discretionary and luxury spending; but there are recent signs of picking-up growth. Operation modes of department stores in China Department stores operators in China generate revenue from 1) commissions on concessionaire sales, 2) merchandise direct sales, 3) rental income from store tenants, and 4) management fee etc. Commissions from concessionaire sales are the predominant source of income. Developments of market players The competitive landscape for department stores in China is highly fragmented with no significant market leader. Foreign players tend to have wider national footprints and they mainly target the country’s high-income class. Domestic department stores operators mainly focus on regional markets. Challenges Department stores operators in China are often said to be acting like landlords – renting floor space to concessionaires or tenants and paying little attention to differentiation and brand management. Undifferentiated players have resorted to price competition to boost sales, hurting companies’ same-store-sales growth and eroding their margins. Other formats such as specialty stores and retail cannibalization are posing great challenges to department stores. Recent developments Lower-tier cities are the expansion focus. Department store operators focus on upgrading and differentiation. There is growing attention to transform merchandising practices. Export-oriented manufacturers pay growing attention to domestic market brings new potential for department store operators to expand merchandise mix. Department stores operators are grasping attention in the capital market. Many department stores operators have embarked on real estate strategies. Some department stores have explored the â€Å"click-and-mortar† model. Government encourages department stores players to enhance service levels and improve operation environment through awarding players with quality services. Li Fung Research Centre 13/F, LiFung Centre 2 On Ping Street Shatin, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2635 5563 Fax: (852) 2635 1598 E-mail: [emailprotected] com lifunggroup. com/ Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 Department stores in China, 2009 Department stores have long been one of the major retailing channels in China; they are the chief distribution channel for discretionary consumption items such as branded apparel, cosmetics, jewelry and watches, etc. In the eyes of many Chinese consumers, shopping in department stores represent quality lifestyle and status. For years, many consumer brands have viewed department stores as their top-of-choice in building their recognition in China. As Chinese consumers become growingly affluent, department stores in China has enjoyed years of rapid development in recent years. However, growth momentum of China’s department stores sales has slowed towards the end of 2008; dampened consumer spirits amid global financial crisis, increasingly fierce competition and immature management mindsets all pose challenges to China’s department stores operators. These have prompted department stores operators in China to evolve to stay competitive. Over the past few months in 2009, as China’s economy begins to demonstrate stabilized growth, sales momentum of department stores has picked up again. We believe, long-term prospect for department store sector in China is rosy, as consumption plays a bigger role in the Chinese economy. I. Overview Department stores1 have been one of the most important retail channels in China with an established history longer than other retailing channels such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores and shopping malls. They are an important sales channel for discretionary consumption items such as branded apparel, jewelry, cosmetics and watches, etc, many of them targeting the country’s higher-income groups. Thanks to the increasing affluence and urbanization, department stores in China have enjoyed many years of boom. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS), the total sales value of department stores was 180. 1 billion yuan in 2007; the 2008 full-year sales value is yet released but the China Chain Store and Franchise Association (CCFA) and Deloitte estimate the value to reach 219. billion yuan, representing a compound annual growth rate of 30% between 2003 and 2008 (see Exhibit 1). Exhibit 1: Total sales value of department stores, 2003 2008 * Estimated value by Deloitte Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China, China Chain Store and Franchise Association and Deloitte 1 Department stores are stores with sales area between 6,000 and 20,000 m2, usually multi-stor ey, selling wide range of merchandises with emphasis on clothing and accessories, footwear, cosmetics, household items and home appliances etc. Special counters and open shelves are the chief sales formats. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 2 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 However, department store sector has witnessed some challenges over the past year. Amid the global financial crisis, retail sales growth in China has decelerated towards the end of 2008 and sales of discretionary items are more negatively impacted. According to the CCFA, discretionary and luxury retailers were under greater pressure than previous years. Sales momentum for department stores has deteriorated as consumers cut back on discretionary and luxury spending. Exhibit 2 demonstrates the key statistics of different format retailers. As shall be seen, daily transactions for department stores have registered negative growth of 5. 2% in 2008; the decline is the second biggest among other formats. Average ticket consumption also recorded slow growth of only 1. 5% in 2008. In 1Q09, according to CCFA and Deloitte, both sales revenue and profit for department stores was down by about 5% yoy. Exhibit 2: Key statistics of different format retailers, 2008 Sales revenue (million Retail format Hypermarkets Supermarkets Department stores Convenience stores Home electronics retailers Pharmacies 501. 64 37. 06 2. 0 7. 1 729 1,724 -7. 8 -3. 8 1,901. 0 48. 2 2. 3 1. 3 10. 8 23. 1. 0 -0. 7 yuan) 212. 90 72. 42 883. 97 4. 73 yoy growth (%) 12. 4 11. 3 11. 1 12. 3 Number of Daily transactions 10,059 4,554 10,839 758 yoy growth (%) 1. 0 6. 5 -5. 2 -2. 7 Average ticket consumption (yuan) 58. 1 43. 6 226. 4 16. 2 yoy growth (%) 11. 6 4. 5 1. 5 11. 1 Gross margin (%) 12. 9 12. 9 14. 1 16. 4 yoy growth (%) 0. 3 0. 9 0. 3 0. 0 Source: Ch ina Chain Store and Franchise Association and Deloitte The China Commerce Association for General Merchandise (CCAGM) conducted a research study on 60 major department stores operators in China; in 2008, average sales revenue of major department stores operators in China was up by 15. % yoy to 183. 74 billion yuan; the growth was lower than that of 2007 (17. 8%). 86. 7% of the department stores recorded sales growth in 2008. The CCAGM also surveyed 205 of its member enterprises earlier and Exhibit 3 demonstrates some sales statistics of its member enterprises in the department store sector. Exhibit 3: Performance of the 205 membership enterprises of CCAGM, 2002-2007 2007 Sales income growth (% yoy) Sales margin (%) Sales margin growth (% yoy) 17. 8 8. 5 21. 7 2006 13. 7 8. 4 19. 5 2005 18. 0 7. 4 10. 1 2004 12. 7 8. 9. 9 2003 42. 9 7. 7 26. 0 2002 10. 8 8. 2 4. 1 Source: China Commerce Association for General Merchandise (CCAGM) Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 3 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 Despite poorer sales performance at the end of last year, growth momentum of department stores in China is showing some recent signs of picking up. With huge government initiatives to boost domestic consumption, the total retail sales of consumer goods grew by 15. 0% in the first half of 2009, according to the NBS. Consumer confidence in China is picking up as well. Department stores in China have undoubtedly benefited from China’s resilient retail sales growth; experts believe that growth in second half of 2009 will be even stronger. II. Operation modes of department stores in China Compared with many department stores operators in developed economies, which pay huge attention to differentiation and brand-building, department stores operators in China are often said to be acting like landlords – renting their floor space to concessionaires or tenants and paying little attention o differentiation. Department stores operators in China generate revenue from 1) commissions on concessionaire sales, 2) merchandise direct sales, 3) rental income from store tenants, and 4) management fee etc; and commissions from concessionaire sales are the predominant source of income. For instance, more than 70% of the revenue of Hong Kong-listed department stores operators such as Intime Department S tore ( (see Exhibit 4). Exhibit 4: Revenue breakdown of department store operations from selected companies, 2008 New World Intime Commissions from concessionaire sales Sale of goods direct sale Rental income Management fee income from the operation of department stores Source: Financial reports from respective companies ) and Golden Eagle Department Store ( ), come from the commissions on concessionaire sales Golden Eagle 71. 64% 26. 79% 1. 51% 0. 07% Department Store 68. 30% 15. 07% 5. 51% 11. 11% Parkson 56. 78% 37. 93% 4. 33% 0. 95% 70. 02% 23. 41% 4. 93% 1. 64% Concessionaire sales Under concessionaire arrangements, concessionaires are permitted to establish sales counters in designated areas with their own sales personnel and sell their branded merchandise. Department stores charge concessionaires a turnover commission, usually at a percentage of their total sales proceeds (see Exhibit 5). Usually there is a minimum commission based on the minimum turnover target, regardless of whether such target is achieved. Sales amount received from the concessionaire sales is first collected by the department store and later paid to the concessionaires after deducting relevant expenses, fees and commissions. Average payment settlement period ( ) for department stores is 45-60 days, while some can last for 90 days, according to Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). For some smaller brands, payment settlement with department stores operators can pose cash flow pressure. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 4 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 Exhibit 5: Average commission rate for different categories in department stores Product Category Clothes, shoes and leather goods Jewelry Gold Cosmetics Source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council Commission rate (Department Store: Concessionaire) 30:70 15:85 8:92 25:75 Generally, concessionaires are responsible for employing their own staff, but department stores operators often devise sets of detailed guidelines and rules of conduct in relation to the employment, assessment and training of the staff. Structured induction and training programs are offered to new recruits and staff in new stores in order to ensure service quality of department stores. Concessionaire arrangement allows department stores operators to lower inventory risk, as in the case of merchandise direct sales and the development of own store brands would involve. Merchandise direct sales Under direct sales arrangements, department stores purchase merchandise from suppliers and resell them in stores (e. g. merchandise at supermarket and home appliance sections). Those items are usually standardized with higher brand recognition, which are easier for operators to manage. Rental income from store tenants Some department stores also lease designated areas to operators of businesses that are complementary to the shopping experience at department stores, including restaurants, pharmacies and beauty salons etc. in order to offer onsumers an â€Å"one-stop shopping† experience. Fierce competition for floor space in department stores in China According to HKTDC, department stores operators usually require concessionaires to pay an average annual guarantee fee of 30,000 yuan to 80,000 yuan as the minimum entrance fee. There are many other miscellaneous fees to gain a place in department stores, which include advertising fee, promotion fee and ma nagement fee, etc. Concessionaires may also be requested to pay for renovation or move to other locations according to policies of department stores. Typically, brands with good market reputation and proven sales track record would have higher chance to secure a place in department stores. For brands that are new to China or lesser known in the market, entry is more difficult. One chief reason behind the so-called landlord phenomena is fierce competition for sales space in China; as brands rush to build their prominence, many department stores operators in China have little incentives to differentiate from competitors. The concessionaire agreements and supply agreements are typically reviewed every year. Department stores have right to terminate a concessionaire arrangement if the concessionaire does not perform well (e. g. , fail to meet its pre-agreed sales target for three consecutive months); thus department stores operators have lower risks in securing their income. Indeed, some consider differentiation, say nurturing their own store brands, costly and would not wish to take the risks such as bearing inventories. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 5 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 III. Developments of market players The CCFA has released the ranking of â€Å"the top 100 retail chain operators in 2008† (the Top 100s) earlier this year. Among the Top 100s, there are 23 enterprises chiefly operating the department store format. With a 10% increase in number of stores, their sales value was up by 21% yoy in 2008. Selected enterprises are listed in Exhibit 6. Exhibit 6: Selected department stores operators among the Top 100s in China, 2008 Ranking among the Top 100s 3 5 11 Enterprise Bailian Group Co. , Ltd. Dalian Dashang Group Co. , Ltd. Chongqing Commerce (Group) Ltd. f which: ChongQing Department Store Co. , Ltd. : 14 15 20 Hefei Department Store Group Co. , Ltd. Shandong Commercial Group Corporation ( Limited 21 23 27 28 Wuhan Zhongbai Group Co. , Ltd. Liqun Group Shareholding Co. , Ltd. Changchun Eurasia Group Co. , Ltd. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co. , Ltd. 30 Parkson Retail Group Ltd. 10,691 18. 7 40 -2. 4 14,240 13,869 12,130 12,000** 25. 1 13. 3 21. 3 13. 2 630 866 1 8 17 10. 5 3. 1 63. 6 6. 3 ) 14,800** 5. 7 33 6. 5 New World Department Store China 19,400 18,716 23. 8 34. 8 125 164 26. 3 69. Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Hong Kong Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Malaysia Sales value* (million yuan) 94,329 62,555 26,255 8,236 yoy growth (%) 8. 3 24. 6 18. 4 18. 3 Number of stores* 6,418 150 294 115 yoy growth (%) -0. 6 3. 4 11. 8 16. 2 Place of origin Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland * Value includes other formats of the department store operators ** Estimated value Source: China Chain Store and Franchise Association (CCFA) Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 6 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 The competitive landscape for department stores in China is highly fragmented with no significant market leader. For example, the Dalian Dashang Group ( ), a very strong department store player in northern China with 52 department stores in China in 2008, accounted for less than 1% of the total number of department stores in China, according to Euromonitor. In China, many department stores do not operate as chains but as single-store independents. Chain operation for department stores is not as popular as other retail formats such as supermarkets and hypermarkets. Indeed, many layers are active in restricted localities only. Foreign players tend to have wider national footprints; targeting the country’s high income class China approved the setting up of the first department store by foreign enterprises in 1992. Shanghai No. 1 Yaohan ( ) from Japan was the first foreign player setting foot in China. Over the past decade, foreign players have been expanding ag gressively in China. With better management expertise, most foreign department stores target China’s higher-income consumers. Today, a number of them have already developed an extensive national network. Different from most domestic counterparts, foreign players tend to have wider national footprints. Exhibit 7 demonstrates the store network of selected foreign players. Today, a number of foreign department stores operators have built their market recognition in China and are battling locals for market share. Hong Kong-based New World Department Store is an example. Having a national coverage of 17 cities, the operator has pursued the expansion strategies of â€Å"multiple presences in a single city† and â€Å"radiation cities† in order to dig deeper into the market. Today the department store operator has built their recognition successfully in cities such as Shenyang and Wuhan. The rationale behind such strategy is to build a critical mass in these cities so that it could expand its influence more easily. This also paves the way for the operator’s further expansion into nearby cities or provinces. Exhibit 7: Store locations of selected foreign department stores operators in China, as of July 2009 Department stores operators Parkson Retail Group Ltd. Place of origin Malaysia Store locations Anshan, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Guiyang, Harbin, Hefei, Kuming, Mianyang, Nanchang, Nanning, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenyang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Urmuqi, Wuxi, Xi’an, Yangzhou, Yantai, Yueyang, Zhengzhou, Zunyi New World Department Store China Ltd. Hong Kong Anshan, Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Harbin, Kunming, Lanzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Shanghai, Shenyang, Taizhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Wuxi Aeon Group Far Eastern Group Isetan Co. Ltd Japan Taiwan Japan Beijing, Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Yantai, Zhongshan, Zhuhai Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Shanghai, Tianjin Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 7 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 Department stores operators Ito Yokado Lippo Group The Store Corp. Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Lotte Group Lifestyle International Holdings Ltd. Source: Company websites Place of origi n Japan Indonesia Malaysia Taiwan Korea Hong Kong Store locations Beijing, Chengdu Tianjin, Chengdu Jiaxing Beijing Beijing Shanghai The global financial turmoil has brought unprecedented challenges to consumer markets in many developed economies; while some foreign operators are becoming more conservative in their respective capital expenditure (for instance, Barneys New York Inc has shelved plans for expansion in Beijing), some others with stronger capital strength are accelerating expansion in emerging markets such as China to counter the depression in their home markets. For instance, the UK-based Marks Spencer has made its debut in China by opening a flagship store in Shanghai in October 2008. The Store Corp. ), one of the largest department stores operators in Malaysia, also announced their ) planned to invest US$42. 3 million to expansion plan in China. Japanese department store giant Takashimaya ( launch its first store in Shanghai in 2012. Domestic department stores operators mainly focus on regional markets With stronger local knowledge and connections as well as longer history, domestic operators tend to have stronger footholds in their respective cities of origin (see Exhibit 8). For instance, Dalian Dashang ( Eurasia ( ) and Changchun ) are very successful regional big names in northeast China. Besides, the fact that many domestic layers have already occupied prime locations gives them natural advantage. Nonetheless, when compared to their foreign counterparts, domestic enterprises tend to be more reluctant to expand to other regions, partly due to concerns over regional differences in consumer culture. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 8 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 Exhibit 8: Department store locations of selected domestic department stores operators in China, as of July 2009 Company Intime Department Store (Group), Co. , Ltd. Golden Eagle Retail Group Ltd. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co. Ltd. Store locations Beijing, Ezhou, Hangzhou, Jinhua, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, Xiangfan, Xianning, Zhoushan Huaian, Kunmin g, Nanjing, Nantong, Suzhou, Taizhou, Yancheng, Yangzhou, Xi’an, Xuzhou Baotou, Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hohhot, Kunming, Luoyang, Nanning, Taiyuan, Urumqi, Wuhan, Xining, Xuzhou Dalian Dashang Group Co. , Ltd. Dalian and 4 other cities in Liaoning, Daqing and 3 other cities in Heilongjiang, Yanji in Jilin, Kaifeng and 3 others cities in Henan, Chengdu and Zigong in Sichuan, Qingdao Maoye International Holdings Ltd. Beijing Xidan Department Store Co. , Ltd. Fujian Dongbai Group Co. , Ltd. Changchun Eurasia Group Co. , Ltd. Hangzhou Jiebai Group Co. , Ltd. Chengshang Group Co. , Ltd. Shandong Yinzuo Co. , Ltd. Hefei Department Store Group Co. , Ltd. Zhongnan Commercial (Group) Co. , Ltd. Wuhan Zhongbai Group Co. , Ltd. Guangzhou Friendship Group Co. , Ltd. Guangzhou Grandbuy Co. , Ltd. Source: Company websites Chongqing, Shenzhen, Wuxi, Zhuhai Beijing, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xining, Urmuqi Fuzhou Changchun Hangzhou Chengdu, Mianyang Dongying, Jinan, Zibo Bengbu, Bozhou, Hefei, Huainan, Huangshan, Lu’an, Tong Ling Wuhan Wuhan Guangzhou, Nanning Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, Zhanjiang, Hengyang Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 9 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 A number of domestic players have received huge local government support with their state-owned background. For instance, Nanning Department Store Co. , Ltd. ( ) and Guangzhou Grandbuy are both state-owned. There have been sayings that state-owned department stores are often run less efficiently; these years, though, some have strived hard to improve their operations. For instance, Guangzhou Grandbuy has adopted the Stockholder Rights Plan in 2008, hoping to increase management’s incentives. Indeed, some industry experts believe that a number of state-owned department stores would find themselves hard to survive if they do not upgrade themselves. IV. Challenges As mentioned, department stores in China have witnessed some challenges over the past year. Besides macroeconomic slowdown, there are some other factors hindering the growth of department stores in China. First of which is that many department store players in China have immature operation and management mindsets. Due to the huge market demand of department store floor space in China, many operators have been quite passive in their operation strategy and do not feel the need to differentiate from the rest. Unlike in some developed markets, where many department stores operators have paid huge attention to brand management, such as through unique product assortment and developing private labels to enhance shopping experiences, department stores in China are often said to be acting like â€Å"landlords†. Commission and rental income are the major revenue sources for many. Few department stores have focused on differentiation and brand building. Besides, heavy initial capital outlays, lack of experience in sourcing, long nurturing period for own store brands are also common concerns. In recent years, many department stores in China have frequently reviewed and reshuffled their merchandise portfolio to improve their income. However, the problem of having highly similar brand and tenant mix is still very common. The fact that the market is crowded with a large number of undifferentiated players has made many resorted to price competition to boost sales, especially during more difficult times. Last year, many players have held aggressive promotional activities (e. g. buy-200-get-100 campaigns, anniversary sales events, issuing coupons) to attract footfalls. Discount-driven promotions are hurting companies’ same-store-sales growth and eroding their margins. On the other hand, competition from other format retailers is not to be ignored. According to the NBS, the share of department stores has dropped from 14% in 2003 to 10. 14% in 2007. Specialty stores, in particular, are posing great challenges to department stores as they offer brand owners more flexibility in operations – e. . , brand owners can have more say in product ranges and offerings, store layout designs, thus can better deliver their brand message across. Indeed, Chinese consumers also growingly favor specialty stores as they usually deliver more unique shopping experiences and offer better service levels. Last but not least, many department stores operators have embarked on rapid expansion over t he past years; retail cannibalization has hurt many retailers’ profit margins. Competition is the fiercest in the eastern coastal regions. As a result, many have slowed down their store expansion and put more focus on enhancing same store sales performance, say revamping old stores. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 10 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 V. Recent developments 1. Lower-tier cities as the expansion focus In view of fierce competition in first-tier cities, many department stores are eyeing the opportunities in China’s lower-tier cities. Indeed, according to AT Kearney, middle class population in China’s second- and third-tier cities will account for 75% of the country’s total in 2017. Although consumers in lower-tier cities are currently much less affluent than those in first-tier cities, their consumption power is growing fast. In view of this, many department stores operators are viewing lower-tier cities as their major expansion focus. For example, Dashang Group has opened new department stores in Kaifeng, Xinyang and Xinxiang in 2008, all of which are lower-tier cities in Henan province; Guangzhou Grandbuy also planned to expand into lower-tier cities including Jieyang and Huizhou in Guangdong province and Chengdu in Sichuan province during 2009. Nonetheless, China is known to be a heterogeneous marketplace and adaptation to local tastes is the key for success. There are already many regional players with strongholds in local markets and have already occupied stores in better locations, making new entries challenging. For instance, Intime Department Store, a successful player in Hangzhou, faced fierce competition with local players when expanding into both Beijing and Wuhan. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store ( ) also quitted Nanning in 2008 after three years of operation. . Department stores operators focus on upgrading and differentiation The department store sector in China is crowded with many undifferentiated players. Today, a growing number of department stores operators are beginning to reinvent themselves in order to differentiate from rivals. Some department stores now adjust merchandise mix more frequently at each local store by monitoring consumer preferences, consumption patterns, spending power and level of comp etition. Some others also seek to â€Å"rebrand† to target specific segments. For example, New World Department Store has embarked on a new dual-concept stores initiative to â€Å"rebrand† its stores to â€Å"Fashion Gallery† or â€Å"Living Gallery† stores. â€Å"Fashion Gallery† focuses on the concept of â€Å"mix-and-match† with the introduction of exclusive private label brands and trendy products; while â€Å"Living Gallery† will introduce more leisure elements with 30% of gross floor area dedicated to dining and leisure services. On the other hand, some operators have upgraded their shop floors to attract more established brands. This is particularly true for the lower floors of the department stores; many operators hope to ride the consumer upgrade trend in China and attract more luxury brands to take up their space has been rising. Many department stores operators have also strived hard to improve customer loyalty, say, expanding VIP customer base. Some have collaborated with banks to issue co-branded credit cards. Credit card co-launched by New World Department Stores and Bank of Communications Co. , Ltd is a case in point. Holders of VIP membership cards and cobranded credit cards can enjoy discounts with their purchases. VIP customers can also accumulate gift points and exchange for selected merchandise in stores. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 11 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 3. Growing attention to transform merchandising practices As Chinese consumers become more sophisticated, more and more are looking for unique shopping experience. There is growing attention for department stores operators to improve merchandise mix and assortment such as through launching private label brands or increase direct merchandising. For example, Intime Department Store has collaborated with Shenzhen Espresso ( ) to exclusively launch its Justin Time female fashion brand in 2007. The entry of Marks Spencer in 2008 also introduces Chinese consumers the concept of buying private label products. Some department stores operators in China, such as Vans Department Store ( ), are learning from their foreign counterparts and have started training their own merchandisers to bring consumers more exciting merchandise portfolio. However, the nurture period, capital outlays, and inventory risks are still some major concerns. It is believed that more and more department stores operators will experiment with new merchandising practices, but the transformation will be gradual. 4. Export-oriented manufacturers pay growing attention to domestic market brings new potential for department stores operators to expand merchandise mix As China’s exports shrink amid global economic woes, the domestic market is winning the attention of many exportoriented manufacturers. For the first time ever, China’s largest trade exhibition Canton Fair, which traditionally targets only overseas buyers, held a session targeting domestic retailers in end-April this year. Department stores operators in China such as Beijing Wangfujing Department Store and Dalian Dashang Group attended the fair. The made-to-export products, which are usually with higher quality as they need to comply with western quality standards, are reportedly to be very wellreceived. Many believe that domestic demand for these products would be huge. However, the road to tap the domestic potential is not easy. To enjoy autonomy in domestic sales, enterprises engaging in processing/ assembly operations and compensatory trade (TFPs) have to transform their registrations into foreigninvested enterprises (FIEs). In early March, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) vowed to simplify and speed up the transformation process for troubled Mainland-based Hong Kong TFPs who want to sell their products to domestic buyers. Guangdong province also took a similar initiative earlier. In August 2008, the Guangdong government issued a set of guidelines for the on-site transformation of TFPs into FIEs without production stoppage. The Guangdong government would also provide financial support in the transformation process. It is hoped that, by making the procedure of transforming TFPs into FIEs simpler and more transparent, particularly in Guangdong, policies restrictions will no longer be a barrier to domestic sales. Apart from regulatory issues, many export-oriented manufacturers are still hesitant with domestic sales: the order volume is much smaller in size and it takes longer time and is more difficult for them to collect money from domestic buyers. It also takes time and money for them to familiarize with and develop their domestic sales channels and build their market recognition. Last but not least, manufacturers have to customize their products to meet Chinese consumers’ tastes. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group 12 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 Nonetheless, as China’s consumer market expands, we believe more and more manufacturers will engage in domestic sales. This would have important implications for China’s department stores operators, i. e. , the operators can have more choices in merchandize sourcing; and this may accelerate the transformation of their merchandising practices as well. 5. Department stores operators grasping attention in the capital market China’s department stores operators have received huge investors’ interests in recent years. Riding the tide of investors’ interests in mainland consumption-related stocks, a number of department store players have sought public listings over the past few years. Exhibit 9 demonstrates some of the recent listing activities. Exhibit 9: Selected recent IPOs of department stores operators in China Company Your-Mart Co. , Ltd. Newhuadu Industrial Group Co. , Ltd. Better Life Commercial Chain Share Co. , Ltd Maoye International Holdings Ltd. Guangzhou Grandbuy Co. , Ltd. Times Ltd New World Department Store Ltd. Jiahua Stores Holdings Ltd. Intime Department Store (Group) Co. , Ltd. Source: Li Fung Research Centre, newspaper articles Date of listing 2009/7/17 2008/7/31 2008/6/19 2008/5/5 2007/11/22 2007/7/16 2007/7/12 2007/5/21 2007/3/20 Place Shenzhen Shenzhen Shenzhen Hong Kong Shenzhen Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong Besides, many department stores operators in China view mergers and acquisitions (MAs) as a means to expand their market presence quickly, especially into places they are less familiar with. MAs offer them a fast route to acquire local knowledge and connections. Some recent MAs in the sector include Dalian Dashang’s acquisition of Zhenghong International Department Store ( Store ( the future. Li Fung Research Centre Member of the Li Fung Group ) and Xuchang Hongbao Department Store ( ) in Henan in 2008; the acquisitions of Qinhuangdao Jindu Department Store ( ) and Mianyang Xingda Department Store ( ), Taiyuan Liuxiang Department ) by Maoye International Holdings ( ) in 2008. As China’s department store sector is highly fragmented, we expect the waves of MAs to continue in 13 China Distribution Trading Issue 61 July 2009 6. Department stores operators embarking on real estate strategies Over the past years, there has been stiff competition for prime retail locations in China. To secure retail sites and better control rental expenditure, growing numbers of department stores have embarked on their own real estate strategies. In order to speed up its expansion in China, some department stores operators have sought to collaborate with property developers. For instance, Guangzhou Grandbuy ( ) has partnered with RF Properties ( ) for its entry in Chengdu; Grandbuy would be the anchor tenant in the RF Tianhui Mall ( Mall) in the city. Nonetheless, it is observed that some property developers have used department stores to promote their residential projects, without paying enough attention to the profitability of the stores. Some department stores operators have also taken their own initiatives to transform into shopping malls by incorporating different kinds of retail formats in their floor areas. On the other hand, some department stores operators such as Beijing Hualian Department Store ( benefit from the long-term land appreciation. ) in China have actively considered increasing the number of self-owned properties to control rental expenditure and hopefully 7. Department stores operator exploring the â€Å"click-and-mortar† model Online retailing has been one of the major bright spots in China’s retail sector in recent years. Attracted by the huge online traffic flow, some department stores operators have explored the opportunity online by developing their own shopping websites. For instance, Marui Department Store ( ) from Japan has recently announced the cooperation with Alipay, China’s online payment platform giant. Consumers purchasing on Marui’s Chinese website can now pay via Alipay. The Dashang Group, on the other hand, has committed itself to building a business website which boasts 12 product categories and 500 subclasses of goods. Nonetheless, the â€Å"click-and-mortar† model is yet mature in the department store sector in China. Browse rate is low for many department stores websites. Many operators have yet generated much revenue, let alone profit from the online platforms. For instance, online sales revenue accounted for only 5% of Shuangan Department Store ( Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group), since the launch of its online platform ( instance, some online platforms have displayed inconsistent information with the offline stores. ) of the ) in 2007. Besides, some consumers have also expressed dissatisfaction with the websites launched by department stores operators; for 8. Government encourages department store players to enhance service levels and improve operation environment The MOFCOM issued the Circular on the Classification and Grading the Retail Enterprises ( 2008 ) in 2008.